"The dogs bark and the caravan keeps on going." This wise old saying comes from the days of nomads in the desert.

Various sources disagree over the origin but not the wisdom. It seems that the caravan of life in Barnstable could use a little less barking and a little more motion these days.

The group resignation of the board of appeals is one noise that spooked some of the dogs. It certainly wasn't the first of the events that got the yapping started. The funny thing about this current howling event is there is a good chance that the wrong dogs may have started the barking before it was valid.

We all know that with dogs, once one starts, the pack mentality takes over and then the barking eventually becomes way too over the top to be truly effective.

Time will tell if the theory of the barking dogs and moving caravans holds true in this case. I think the barking will go away and the caravan will keep on going with new appointees doing the job. That is unfortunate, but it is the reality. Meanwhile, if we take a moment to encourage some improvements, perhaps in the future, the dogs may not get so spooked so early.

Every town official, both elected and appointed, has a certain role to play in our caravan's movement. Our charter intentionally doesn't give much power to most multi-member bodies. Appointed regulatory boards have the highest levels of power. A former town manager recently suggested that our town council has an enormous level of power. He is correct. He also suggested that the town council doesn't effectively use very much of its power. He's right again.

The town council appoints most multimember bodies. It is the town council's job to use the appointment process to further the council's objectives. If the council's current appointees are not in synch with the current caravan's movement philosophy, then the appointees should be replaced. That is OK and expected. That action doesn't need to be a negative reflection on either the appointees or the appointers.

Our problem comes when the council divides their votes, tries to be non-controversial and doesn't act honestly with their appointees. Two members of the board of appeals have served for over a year because the council couldn't put the votes together to replace the unwanted members.

Saying "thank you very much for your service, at this time we want someone else with a different philosophy doing that job" is a perfectly honest and acceptable use of the power that we give to our town council.

Some councilors on the appointments committee have already expressed their intention to do a better job of communication with their existing and pending appointees. I trust they will.

The council itself has a more serious internal communications problem. In fact, it is more than communications. They just don't seem like they ever play nice with each other. The caravan is moving, but man, sometimes it seems like it is standing still. Other times I swear it is teetering or even rolling backwards a bit. A strong council is significantly weakened by a lack of cohesion. Right now there is very little glue to hold this group together. That can change and it should sooner than later.

There is another management adage from an unknown source that suggests successful leaders "praise in public and punish in private.” That little ditty should be considered a mantra by several councilors. Snipping at each other doesn't do any of them or any of us any good.

It always diminishes the integrity of the office they hold. We especially don't need letters to the editor from one councilor about another councilor. It blatantly diminishes the integrity of the office.

Perhaps our elected leaders will also express an intention to be more respectful of each other and that might help the rest of us to do the same.